Carmen Amoraga wins 2026 Policía Nacional Novel Prize

Writer Carmen Amoraga has won the 2026 Policía Nacional Novel Prize for her work ‘En ese silencio’. The award, which includes a 20,000 euro prize, was selected from 528 manuscripts submitted for the ninth edition of the contest.

The competition is a joint initiative by the Fundación Policía Española and the publisher Martínez Roca (part of Grupo Planeta), in collaboration with Banco Santander, aimed at promoting noir, police, and crime fiction.

The novel follows Antonia, a woman who discovers old photographs that reveal she was not raised by her biological mother, who disappeared mysteriously in 1972. The plot centers on Antonia’s investigation into the truth behind the decades-old disappearance and the family secrets it uncovers. The jury, which included authors Espido Freire, Lorenzo Silva, and Reyes Calderón, praised the work for its literary quality and emotional resolution. The book is scheduled for publication on November 18, 2026.